This invention relates to a method for the regulation of plant growth employing certain substituted oxathiolanone-type compounds.
Several 1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones are known in the art. Pilgram, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,892, describes certain phenoxymethyl substituted 1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones which are alleged to be useful as herbicidal agents. Satsumabayaski et al., in Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, 45, 913-915 (1972), describe the synthesis of a number of 2-alkyl and 2-phenyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones. Also described is the preparation of 2-trichloromethyl-1,3-oxathion-6-one, a six membered heterocyclic ring compound. Additionally, several 2-haloalkyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones are reported to have herbicidal activity by Okada in Japanese Pat. No. 25497/68.
That certain oxathiolanone-type compounds can be utilized to regulate the growth of various plant species is heretofore unknown. An object of this invention therefore is to provide a method of plant growth regulation employing certain 1,3-oxathiolan-5-ones and related compounds.